Geranium plant named ‘Fipeldanlav’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy  Geranium  plant named ‘Fipeldanlav’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; freely basal branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; double lavender-colored flowers with red purple-colored venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium peltatum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIPELDANLAV’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of IvyGeranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fipeldanlav’.

The new Ivy Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new freely-branching andfreely-flowering Ivy Geranium cultivars with large double flowers andattractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Ivy Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands of two unnamed selections ofPelargonium peltatum, not patented. The new Ivy Geranium was discoveredand selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in De Lier, The Netherlands in March, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Ivy Geranium plant by vegetativeterminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, TheNetherlands, since July, 2003, has shown that the unique features ofthis new Ivy Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fipeldanlav’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Fipeldanlav’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofIvy Geranium:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Freely basal branching habit.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Double lavender-colored flowers with red purple-colored        venation.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium differ primarily from plants of theparent selections in growth habit and plant habit as plants of the newIvy Geranium are more vigorous in growth habit and more uniform in planthabit than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium can be compared to plants of Pelargoniumpeltatum ‘Merifestival’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,288. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plantsof the new Ivy Geranium differed from plants of ‘Merifestival’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium flowered earlier than plants        of ‘Merifestival’.    -   2. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium had darker-colored flowers        than plants of ‘Merifestival’.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium can also be compared to plants ofPelargonium peltatum ‘Tocana Teske’, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new IvyGeranium differed from plants of ‘Tocana Teske’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium flowered earlier than plants        of ‘Tocana Teske’.    -   2. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium had lighter-colored flowers        than plants of ‘Tocana Teske’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Ivy Geranium plant, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Ivy Geranium.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Fipeldanlav’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in De Lier, The Netherlands in aglass-covered greenhouse during the summer and under conditions whichclosely approximate commercial Ivy Geranium production. During theproduction of the plants day temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 18° C.and night temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 16° C. Plants were 13 weeksold when the photographs and the description were taken. In the detaileddescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium peltatum ‘Fipeldanlav’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Pelargonium            peltatum, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed selection of Pelargonium            peltatum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at            temperatures of 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About one week at            temperatures of 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 16 days            at temperatures of 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About three            weeks at temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; whitish grey            in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching, moderately            dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Upright to outwardly spreading and            eventually trailing plant habit; uniformly mounded; densely            foliated.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous growth            habit. Freely basal branching habit with about four to five            lateral branches per plant.        -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 14 cm to 16 cm.        -   Plant height, to top of leaves.—About 6 cm to 9 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 30 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 13 cm to 20 cm. Diameter:            About 3 mm to 6 mm. Internode length: About 3 cm to 6 cm.            Texture: Pubescent. Strength: Moderately strong. Color:            Close to 144C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.        -   Length.—About 5 cm to 7 cm.        -   Width.—About 9 cm.        -   Shape.—Roughly orbicular; palmately lobed.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cordate; open.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to N137A; venation, close to 137D; zonation pattern,            close to 177A. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to 137C. Petiole:            Length: About 5 cm to 6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Double flowers arranged in rounded            hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils. Umbels            displayed above the foliage on strong peduncles. Flowers            face upright to outward.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 18 to 28            flowers and flower buds per umbel.        -   Flowering season.—In De Lier, The Netherlands, flowering is            continuous from late spring until frost in the autumn.            Plants begin flowering about six to eight weeks after            planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about 2 to 14 days            on the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Umbel height.—About 6 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 8 cm to 10 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 1 cm to 1.5 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Diameter: About 5            mm to 10 mm. Shape: Broadly elliptic. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About ten to twelve. Length:            About 2.3 cm to 2.5 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm to 1.7 cm.            Shape: Lanceolate to ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 76A; venation, close to 61A. Color            becoming closer to 75A with development. When opening and            fully opened, lower surface: Close to 76B; venation, close            to 75B.        -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: If present, up to five.            Length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Width: About 1 cm to 1.5 mm.            Shape: Narrowly ovate to irregularly oblanceolate. Apex:            Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and            fully opened, upper surface: Close to 76A. When opening and            fully opened, lower surface: Close to 76B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower/arrangement: Five in a single            whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to N137A.        -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 15 cm to 21 cm.            Diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Erect            to about 30° C. from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Close to 146A.        -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Angle:            Erect to about 60° C. from vertical. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            If present, up to eight. Filament length: About 7 mm.            Filament color: Close to 155A. Anther length: About 2 mm.            Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to 202A. Pollen            amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 172C. Gynoecium:            Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm            to 1.5 cm. Stigma shape: Tapering; reflexed. Stigma color:            Close to 64A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close            to 64A. Ovary color: Close to 64A.        -   Fruits/seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ivy    Geraniums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have been    observed to tolerate rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about    0° C. to about 40° C. and have demonstrated good garden performance.

1. A new and distinct Ivy Geranium plant named ‘Fipeldanlav’ asillustrated and described.